Comedian Hardeep Singh Kohli to face trial charged with 20 sex offences including multiple rapes
The former Celebrity Big Brother contestant pleaded not guilty to the charges at the High Court in Glasgow
Comedian Hardeep Singh Kohli is to stand trial next year accused of rape and multiple counts of sexual assault.
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The 57-year-old, who has previously appeared on The One Show, Celebrity MasterChef and Newsnight Review, faces 20 charges involving five women between 2006 and 2022.
The offences are said to have taken place at locations including the BBC Studios at Pacific Quay in Glasgow and the Radisson Hotel in the city.
The comedian, who was a contestant on Celebrity Big Brother, pleaded not guilty to the allegations which include five charges of rape involving the same woman in 2020 and 2021, and several charges of sexual assault and indecent assault.
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He also denied breach of the peace, indecent communication and assault. The High Court in Glasgow heard that special defences of consent have been lodged for some of the charges.
Lord Rennucci set a trial date of October 1 next year during the hearing at the court on Friday.
The charges include an allegation that Kohli indecently assaulted a woman at BBC Studios at Pacific Quay in Glasgow on an occasion between 2006 and 2008 when he allegedly seized and squeezed her buttock and placed his arms around her body.
Another charge alleges that he sexually assaulted another woman at Yes Bar in Glasgow in December 2016.
He is also accused of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by repeatedly pursuing the same woman and making sexual remarks towards her at the Yes Bar on the same day.
Lord Rennucci said he would allow the special defence of consent lodged for a number of the charges.
He fixed a further hearing for September 10 this year and a trial for October 1 next year, which is expected to last eight days at the High Court in Glasgow.